Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method may include communicating an alarm suppression indication trigger message from a maintenance end point to an alarm indication suppression generator. The method may further include communicating, by the alarm indication suppression generator in response to receiving the alarm indication trigger message, an alarm indication suppression message to at least one flow point that has alarm indication suppression enabled for the maintenance end point such that the alarm indication suppression message is received by at least one other maintenance end point upstream of the maintenance end point.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a path between nodes in a network are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for determining a path between nodes in a network comprises a destination node and a link aggregation group (LAG) that includes a first link and a second link. The system further comprises a source node communicatively coupled to the destination node by the LAG where the source node, the LAG and the destination node form a path. The source node is operable to determine a link availability status for each of the first and second links using a layer-2 protection scheme. The source node is further operable to monitor the path for connectivity based on the link availability status using a layer-3 protection scheme.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method may include detecting an occurrence of a fault for a component of a network element having a maintenance entity provisioned thereon. The method may further include transmitting alarm indication suppression messages to components for which the maintenance entity was configured to transmit alarm indication suppression messages in response to detecting the occurrence of the fault.

Abstract: A system of route target filtering includes an import filter receiving a plurality of routes having a next hop routing information. The import filter accepts a first subset of the routes according to an import target policy. The system further includes a re-export filter also receiving the plurality of routes. The re-export filter modifies the next hop information of a second subset of the routes, and distributes the modified routes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes configuring a plurality ports as member ports of a link aggregation group. The method also includes configuring the link aggregation group to communicate management traffic originating from a plurality of maintenance entities communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group communicate carrier traffic originating from other network elements communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group. The method further includes assigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to balance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method may include detecting an occurrence of a fault for a component of a network element having a maintenance entity provisioned thereon. The method may further include transmitting alarm indication suppression messages to components for which the maintenance entity was configured to transmit alarm indication suppression messages in response to detecting the occurrence of the fault.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method includes configuring a plurality ports as member ports of a link aggregation group. The method also includes configuring the link aggregation group to communicate management traffic originating from a plurality of maintenance entities communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group communicate carrier traffic originating from other network elements communicatively coupled to the link aggregation group. The method further includes assigning individual maintenance entities of the plurality of maintenance entities to individual physical ports of the link aggregation group in order to balance maintenance traffic among the plurality of physical ports.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method may include communicating an alarm suppression indication trigger message from a maintenance end point to an alarm indication suppression generator. The method may further include communicating, by the alarm indication suppression generator in response to receiving the alarm indication trigger message, an alarm indication suppression message to at least one flow point that has alarm indication suppression enabled for the maintenance end point such that the alarm indication suppression message is received by at least one other maintenance end point upstream of the maintenance end point.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a path between nodes in a network are disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for determining a path between nodes in a network comprises a destination node and a link aggregation group (LAG) that includes a first link and a second link. The system further comprises a source node communicatively coupled to the destination node by the LAG where the source node, the LAG and the destination node form a path. The source node is operable to determine a link availability status for each of the first and second links using a layer-2 protection scheme. The source node is further operable to monitor the path for connectivity based on the link availability status using a layer-3 protection scheme.

Abstract: A system and method for providing quality of service guarantees in a packet-switched network is provided. A network including nodes linked together by communication links includes a management node for governing the performance of the nodes. Ingress and egress rate restrictions are defined at the nodes and the management module may disallow a portion of a requested transmission to a node if the requested transmission would result in a violation of one of the ingress and egress rate restrictions. Disallowance of a requested transmission may be made by the management node if either an ingress rate restriction of the transmitting node or an egress of the receiving node would be violated by allowance of the requested transmission.

Abstract: A method of routing packets in a system includes the steps of receiving a plurality of packets, each packet including a routing label and a packet type, routing each packet to a destination within the system specified in the routing label in response to the packet type being indicative of a data packet, and routing each packet to a processor within the system and sending a reply packet to a sender specified in the routing label in response to the packet type being indicative of a control packet.

Abstract: A method to facilitate recovery of a node in a communications network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving one or more messages from at least another node in the communications network and restoring connectivity of a recovering node based at least in part on the received messages.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for many-to-many layer 2 aggregation for SONET paths in a communications environment. In one example, the method includes receiving the data unit from either a layer 2 mapped data port or a SONET path, and classifying the data unit based on information within the data unit to identify which one of multiple logical flows is associated with the data unit. Each of the logical flows connects a data port with a SONET path and vice versa, and the data ports and SONET paths do not have a one-to-one correspondence. The data unit is directed to an outgoing SONET path associated with the logical flow if the data unit was received from the data port and to an outgoing data port associated with the logical flow if the data unit was received from a SONET path.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for transferring management channel information (inband or using path overhead) over a synchronous optical network (SONET). In one example using inband management information, the method includes encapsulating management information in an internet protocol (IP) packet and encapsulating the IP packet in an Ethernet frame. The Ethernet frame is tagged with a management tag to differentiate the frame from the data traffic sent via the network.

Abstract: A method to facilitate recovery of a node in a communications network is disclosed. The method comprises receiving one or more messages from at least another node in the communications network and restoring connectivity of a recovering node based at least in part on the received messages.

Abstract: A system and method for providing quality of service guarantees in a packet-switched network is provided. A network including nodes linked together by communication links includes a management node for governing the performance of the nodes. Ingress and egress rate restrictions are defined at the nodes and the management module may disallow a portion of a requested transmission to a node if the requested transmission would result in a violation of one of the ingress and egress rate restrictions. Disallowance of a requested transmission may be made by the management node if either an ingress rate restriction of the transmitting node or an egress of the receiving node would be violated by allowance of the requested transmission.

Abstract: A system of route target filtering includes an import filter receiving a plurality of routes having a next hop routing information. The import filter accepts a first subset of the routes according to an import target policy. The system further includes a re-export filter also receiving the plurality of routes. The re-export filter modifies the next hop information of a second subset of the routes, and distributes the modified routes.

Abstract: A method of updating routing information related to a virtual private network in a communications network is provided. Routing information is exchanged between a site included in a virtual private network and forwarded to a provider equipment node coupled to a customer equipment node. The routing information is provided to a provider equipment node maintaining a route reflector that distributes the routing information to one or more provider equipment nodes respectively coupled to a customer equipment node that interfaces with a site of the virtual private network.

Abstract: A method of routing packets in a system includes the steps of receiving a plurality of packets, each packet including a routing label and a packet type, routing each packet to a destination within the system specified in the routing label in response to the packet type being indicative of a data packet, and routing each packet to a processor within the system and sending a reply packet to a sender specified in the routing label in response to the packet type being indicative of a control packet.